Refrigerator construction



Sept. Is, 1928. 1,684,549

C. E. LUCKE REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 25, 1926 Invenror Charles E. Lucke Y AHorne Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES I 1,684,549- PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES EDWARD LUCIKE, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

REFRIGERATOR CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed April 23, 1926. Serial No. 104,054.

The invention relates to a new and improved form of refrigator box construction in which it is the ob ect to prov1de a construction easy to manufacture, low 1n cost 6 and one in which the space between the inner and outer walls of the box is completely filled with insulating material and in which there are no remainingvoids or cracks through which and in which there 1 might be local air circulation.

The construction of the improved refrigerator is clearly disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown the box in perspective with one corner thereof broken away to show the interlor construction.

In the drawings the refrigerator box is indicated generally as A comprising essentially inner and outer walls 10 and 11, pref- W erably of metal but which might be of wood,

moulded bakelite, fibre, or any other appropriate substance.

As stated, metal is preferable since 1t may be bent and formed into the proper shape and assembled into a casing which when the joints thereof are welded or brazed, forms a one-piece box member which is impervious to moisture and has no cracks nor crevices for the entrance of vermin or other detrimental agencies.

After construction of the box walls there is applied to the inner surface of outer walls 11 and inner walls 10, considering the facing surfaces as the inner surfaces, a relatively thin layer, for general purposes being about inch thick, of parafhne, bees wax, asphalt or other relatively low melting point wax or gum, but which wax or gum should be impervious to moisture and should be of such nature that it does not appreciably deteriorate with the passing of time. This layer of gum or wax will vary somewhat according to the various constructions employed, but it is thought that a -inch thickness as suggested will be a fair average for ordinary conditions. These layers of low melting point materials are indicated in the drawing by numerals 12 and 13.

In the construction of the outer metal portion of the box the top of the outer portion 11 indicated at 14, is not formed integral with the remainder of the structure, but is separately formed as shown with a short flanged edge 15 adapted to be seated of the insulator as it dries out and hardens.

As there are a number of these insulators available commercially, it is not thought necessary to described the specific constituents thereof but they are indicated as a preferable class.

When the insulating material has dried out the entire box is placed in an oven where sufiicient temperature maybe applied whereby the wax or gum indicated at 12 and 13 will melt and run into any voids or cracks which might have formed in the insulating material in drying. As this substance may melt and run into cracks and voids in materials 16, there will of course be space left towards the top which may be filled by adding more of the wax or gum substance until the metal casing is entirely filled so that there can be no local air circulation set up within the walls of the refrigerator box.

By leaving the entire top open as described any cracks or crevices in the top 'insulating material may be readily filled either with additional insulating material or with some of the gum or wax substance and then top 14 may be put in place. After the top is put on it may be welded or brazed or otherwise secured in an air-tight manner to the remainder of the metal structure so that the box may be efiectively sealed.

From a consideration of the above description it will be readily seen that by the construction described there is provided a" refrigerator box sealed so that moisture cannot enter to cause deterioration of the in sulation and there is also provided a box have to be cut or formed and does not have to be separately secured to the inner or outer box walls since the insulating material is merely mixed to a consistency enabling it to be poured, which method of refrigerator box construction is very simple in comparison with insulation for instance, with cork board, in which the slabs of cork have to be cut to the proper size and fitted and secured to the box. walls.

I claim 1. The method for constructing refrigerator walls, consisting in providing two plates.

each having a surface coated with a material having a moderately high temperature melting point,, mounting said plates with said coated surfaces facing each other and arranged relativel spaced and thereby forming a mould, lling said mould with a heat insulating material in a fluid or liquid state but of a character which may be solidifled to form a cellular structure, and finally heating the mould to cause said coating material to fill such interstices which may appear in said insulating material and which are exposed thereto and also maintain close adhesion thereof to said plates.

' 2. The method for constructing refrigerator walls, consisting in providing an inclosure 'ofa normally rigid material and thereby forming a mould, applying to the interior surface thereof a material having a moderately high temperature melting point,

- filling said mould with a heat insulating material in a fluid or liquid state but of a character which may be solidified to form a cellular structure, and finally heating said material as applied to the interior surface of said mould to cause it to fill such interstices which may appear in said insulating material and be exposed thereto and also maintain close adhesion to the interior of said inclosure.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New Y0rk,-this 10 day of April, A. D., 1926.

CHARLES E. LUCKE. 

